I was in the mood for a bout of rum, so I decided to set up a little tasting line-up. I started with this highly regarded Venezuelan stuff.

Nose: The initial whiffs are of rubbing alcohol and varnish, but, mercifully, this blows off after a few minutes and turns into something really nice. Light molasses, honey syrup, cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt for the coastal quality, and a drop of bourbon vanilla extract. Graceful and eminently quaffable from here. Trace of cocoa. Real toffee/caramel quality with dense, moist spice cake and dates.

Palate: Delightfully light and full of flavor. It reminds me almost of a rhum agricole for the sugary sweet vein. More straightforward and thinner. Vanilla, light wood, which adds structure, honey, sassafras, and a balanced salty-sweet-dry note. Orange liqueur and spice cake in the backdrop.

Finish: The wood emerges more here and it trails off with greater emphasis on the salty and bitter, with the residual sweetness in the mix. Cocoa, coffee, and vanilla with the usual rhum agricole profile. Very drinkable and satisfying, even if not the most complex. C+/B-